Wireline feed-in device



Dec. 29, 1959 Filed Aug. 29, 1955 G. F. TURECHEK WIRELINE FEED-IN DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheetl 5.40 44 2- 45 24 2a j 22 /5 T i I /'6. J. L... j

65026.: A mezmzz I INVENTOR.

United tates Patent WIRELINE FEED-IN DEVICE George F. Turechek, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Dresser Industries, Inc, Dallas, Tex., a corporation of Delaware Application August 29, 1955, Serial No. 531,244

'3 Claims. (Cl. 203-463) The present invention relates to wells, and particularly to wells such as oil and gas wells which are operated under pressure. More specifically, the present invention relates to means for feeding into such a well or into a structure mounted on such a well a wireline employed to lower apparatus into the well while the latter remains under pressure.

In performing wireline operations such as logging, perforating, swabbing and the like in Wells in which the well fluid is under considerable pressure, the wireline sealing means provided in a lubricator or blow-out preventer may exert considerable frictional force upon the wireline supporting the apparatus which it is desired to lower into the well. Further, the pressure of the well fluid acts on the cross section of the wireline and has a tendency to expel the wireline outwardly through the packing-off means as soon as the gate valve admitting the wireline and apparatus into the well is opened. Under such circumstances it is often found to be necessary to feed into the well by hand or by other suitable means a considerable extent or length of the wireline before the total weight of apparatus and inserted wireline becomes suflicient to overcome the opposing forces and effect a gravitational feed of the wireline into the well. In some instances it is determined only after commencement of wireline operations that the wireline will not feed by gravitational action into the well after the master or gate valve has been opened; and in some such instances it is found impractical or impossible to feed the wireline into the well by hand.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide means for feeding or pushing the wireline into a well against the pressure therein existent and against the frictional force exerted upon the wireline by sealing or pack-01f means such as are comprised in a lubricator or blow-out preventer.

It is another object of the invention to provide means of the nature stated which may readily be applied to apparatus already in place, such as to a lubricator mast, when it is found that the apparatus suspended from the wireline is incapable of drawing the wireline through the packing means and into the well. It is an additional object of the invention to provide means of simple and inexpensive construction capable of feeding a wireline into a well or other chamber against pressure therein tending to expel the wireline from the chamber.

Another object of the invention is to provide means of the nature noted which are light in weight, easy to service and simple to operate.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will hereinafter be made apparent in connection with the following description of a preferred embodiment of apparatus according to the invention considered in conjunction with the appended drawings illustrating the apparatus, and in which like parts may be designated by like numerals and similar parts by like numerals followed by the letter a.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation showing apparatus according to the invention applied to conventional wireline lubricator structure, with certain portions broken away for clarity of illustration;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of apparatus depicted in Figure 1, with certain parts removed; I

Figure 3 is a view in elevation of detached the apparatus depicted in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a view in elevation similar to Figure l and depicting a modified form of apparatus according to the invention, especially adapted for use with unusually flexible or lightweight wirelines';

Figure 5 is a view of apparatus taken in a direction indicated by arrow A in Figure 4, with parts broken away and some parts removed, and depicting details of the modified formof thewireline feed-in means and drive structure;

Figure 6 is a view of parts of the apparatus depicted in Figure 4, viewed in a direction indicated by the arrow B in the latter figure; and

Figure 7 is a view of certain parts depicted in Figure 4, viewed in a direction indicated by arrow C in the latter figure. I

Referring now to the drawings and to Figures 1 through 3 in particular, there is designated generallyby the reference numeral 10 a means comprising a wireline seal or pack-oif, and in the specific form shown comprising a conventional wireline lubricator 12 secured in known manner to the upper end of a wellhead structure. The lubricator 12 has integral therewith or secured thereto a bracket 14 on which is mounted a sheave yoke 16 which carries a sheave 18 around a portion of the periphery of which a wireline 20 is adapted to extend and pass on its way into and from the lubricator'12, the wireline being supplied from, and taken up by, a conventional hoist drum (not shown). The structure thus far enumerated and described may be of any conventional form or such as indicated in the drawings, and is operated in the manner and for purposes well understood in the art. The apparatus of the present invention is adapted to be quickly and'readily attached to the lubricator mast or other such structure and permit the easy feeding of the wireline into the well against the forces tendingto prevent such action. The apparatus of the preferred form illustrative of the invention comprises suitably secured to 310K616 as by means of machine screws 22, an offset support arm' 24 provided at its upper end with an aperture in which is mounted a pivot pin or screw 26 according to well established mechanical principles; Pivotally mounted upon pivot pin or screw 26 is a support lever 28 provided, as indicated in Figure 3, at one end thereof with an aperture 30 in which is suitably anchored a drawline '32. Support lever 28 is formed with an elbow in which a stud-supporting threaded aperture 34 is provided, and with a short arm port-ion provided with an apertured 'boss 36 in which is rotatably received a through shaft 38. Secured fast on one end of through shaft 38 is a chain sprocket 40 over which is passed a complementary sprocket-rotating draw chain 42 of any desired length, whereby the sprocket 40 and through shaft 38 may be manually rotated. Secured on shaft 38 on the opposite side of lever 28 from sprocket 40 for rotation with the shaft .is a spur cog wheel or gear 44 which meshes with and is adapted to drive a complementary cog wheel or gear 46 having an extended hub mounted for free'r'otaparts of tion upon astud 48 secured in the aforementioned aperture 34; Secured on the extended hub of gear .46 tobe rotated thereby is a friction wheel 50 aligned with and adapted to be brought into engagement with the wireline 20 resting in the groove of sheave 18. The proportions and arrangement of the movable parts 'thus far enumerated are such that when draw line 32 is in a down position, friction wheel 50 is in a raised position out of contact with wireline 20, permitting free and rapid running of the wireline without interference from the apparatus of thepresent invention; With draw line'32in the upper position, that is, released, friction wheel 50 is rocked downwardly into contact with the wireline resting in the groove of sheave 18 by the weight of the apparatus carried by the sprocket-supporting end of lever 28. In the latter position of the movable parts of the apparatus, downward draft on. the outer reach of chain 42 results in rotation of sprocket 40 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 1, and concurrent rotation of gears 44 and 46, whereby friction wheel 50 is rotated ina wireline feeding direction and through its frictional driving efiect upon the'wireline, forces thelatter into and through the sealing means in lubricator 12 in an evident manner. It will be noted that as the outer reach of chain 42 is drawn downwardly manually, the force exerted upon the apparatus supported on the end of lever 28 is such as to tend to press friction wheeliSO into tighter engagement with wireline 20, resulting in an extremely firm engagement of the wirelineby'the friction wheel. Chain 42 is preferably an endless chain as indicated in Figure 1 and may be of any desired length. Most wirelines are sufficiently stiff that the short length of wireline extending between friction wheel 50 and the point of entrance into means 10 will not bend appreciably under the compressive forces applied by the feeding-in action of sheave 18 and wheel 50. Such bending as may be possible may be minimized by provision of a tube 13, preferably of nonferrous material, screwed into or otherwise mounted on the cap of lubricator 12 and having its upper end contoured to fit close to but out of contact with sheave 18 and wheel 50. In those instances in which the wireline is small or very flexible, a modified form of apparatus according to the invention may be employed. Such a modified form is shown in Figures 4-7.

Referring to figures 4 through 7, a conventional lubricator 12a has applied thereto in any suitable fashion as, for example, by welding, a platform bracket 54 upon which is mounted a Y-shaped support bracket 56 whose general proportions and configuration are evident from the drawings. Mounted on pivot pins 58 and 60 secured in respective limbs of bracket 56 are respective bell crank levers 62 and 64. The bell crank levers are provided with mutually interengaging gear sections or sectors as indicated in Figures and 7, whereby when either is rocked about its respective pivot pin the other bell crank lever is rocked an equal amount in an opposite direction of rotation. Lever 62 is provided with a laterally outstanding end portion 62a provided near its end with an apertured boss in which is mounted a stud 66 for a purpose presently to be disclosed. Lever 62 is also provided with another aperture in which is rotatably mounted a shaft 68 (see Figure 7) upon which is securely mounted on one side of lever a gear 70 and on the other end of which at the opposite side of lever 62 is secured a friction wheel 72 having a peripheral wireline engaging groove as indicated in Figure 6. Gear 70 is adapted to be driven by a complementary and mating'gear 74 fixedly secured to a sprocket wheel 76 mounted for free rotation upon the previously mentioned stud 66. Carried by the sprocket wheel for rotating the latter is a preferably endless sprocket chain 78 which may be of any desired length.

Lever 64 carries at its lower end and affixed thereto a stud 80 upon which is mounted for free rotation a s'ccondfriction wheel 82 of construction similar to that of wheel 72 and adapted to cooperate with the latter in wireline engaging and feeding operations. 'Also pivotally carried by lever 64 and depending therefrom through suitable guide means formed on or attached to support 56 is a draw wire 84 provided for a purpose hereinafter more fully explained. Secured to lever 62 in any desired manner is a suitable spring means here shown as comprising a spring 86, the means being arranged to tend to move lever 62 in a direction to remove friction wheel 72 from engagement with wireline 20. The force applied by the spring means is insufficient, however, to cause actual disengagement of the friction wheel from the wireline. Engagement of the wheel and wireline is induced or caused by the weight of the apparatus supported by the outer end 62a of lever 62. It is evident that upon draw line 84 being pulled downwardly with sufficient force,-lever 64 will be rocked in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 5, and wheel 82 will be moved out of engagement with the wireline 20, with concurrent counterclockwise rotation of lever 62 and removal of friction wheel 72 from engagement with the wireline. Thus the apparatus may be held in an idle position permitting free running of the wireline. Upon subsequent release of draw wire 84, the weight of the apparatus supported by the outer end of lever 62 will cause concurrent clockwise rotation of lever 62 and counterclockwise rotation of lever 64 to bring into engagement with the wireline the opposed wheels 72 and 82. Thereafter, downward draft applied to the outer reach of chain 78 will cause rotationof sprocket 76 and concurrent rotation of inter meshing gears 74 and and driving rotation of friction wheel 72. Driving rotation of friction Wheel 72 induces a downward feed of wireline 20 accompanied by concurrent and cooperating rotation of. opposedwheel 82. It will be noted that downward draft upon the outer reach of chain 78, accompanied by the effect of the interaction of gears 74 and 70, is such as to increase the frictional eifect of friction wheel 72 upon the wireline, and aids in the feeding movement of the Due to the relatively close spacing of wheels latter. 72 and 82 to the wireline entrance of lubricator 12a, wireline 20 is fed'into the lubricator and into the well without bending or buckling. Thus relatively flexible wirelines which might tend to buckle or distort under feeding-in operations with the apparatus depicted in Figures 1-3, may be successfully fed inby the justdescribed modified form of apparatus.

It is evident that both the apparatus depicted in Figures 1-3 and the modification thereof depicted in Figures 4-7 may, with equal facility, be applied toexisting lubricator or similar structure to facilitate feeding in a wireline through a packing-off means at a casing head of a well operating under pressure. Further, it is evident that by drawing down and securing draw line 32 (or draw wire 84), either of the types of apparatus may be placed in inoperative position to facilitate rapid paying in or withdrawal of the wireline from the well.

It is evident from a consideration of the preceding description of preferred embodiments of apparatus according to the present invention, that modifications of the apparatus will occur to those skilled in the art. Consequently it is not desired to be limited to the specific details of the apparatus described, but what is claimed is:

1. Wireline feed-in-apparatu-s adapted for forcing a wireline into a pressurized chamber along a straight wireline path and against forces resisting inward movement of the wireline into the chamber, comprising; in

combination with means forming such chamber: a support; a lever mounted on said support for pivotal move ment toward and from working position; a freely rotatable wireline-engaging wheel positioned to engage av wireline on one side of the wireline path; a friction wheel and means rotatably mounting the friction wheel on said lever in opposed relation to the freely rotatable wireline-engaging wheel; and'means supported by said lever for rotating said friction wheel and concurrently forcing the friction wheel into engagement with the wireline. V

2, Wireline feed-in apparatus as defined by claim l,

including a second lever mounted on said support for pivotal movement toward and from working position and means rotatably mounting the freely rotatable wheel on said second lever; and said second lever and the first mentioned lever comprising means for coincident movement of both levers and the wheels mounted thereon toward and from respective working positions.

3. Wireline feed-in apparatus adapted for attachment to a pressurized chamber for forcing a wireline into the chamber along a straight wireline path and against forces resisting inward movement of the wireline into the chamber, comprising, in combination: a support adapted to be secured to the chamber; lever means, and means to pivotally mount the lever means on said support; a rotatable wireline-engaging wheel carried by said lever means for movement thereby toward and from wireline engaging attitude and adapted when rotated and engaged with a wireline to drive the latter; and wheel driving means concurrently effective to rotate and urge toward wireline-engaging attitude said rotatable wireline engaging wheel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 914,668 Olsson Mar. 9, 1909 1,305,672 Schlieder June 3, 1919 1,509,906 Sawtelle Sept. 30, 1924 1,696,037 Hornbeger Dec. 18, 1928 2,499,699 Tinkham Mar. 7, 1950 2,555,145 McKinney May 29, 1951 2,567,009 Calhoun Sept. 4, 1951 2,685,960 Brink Aug. 10, 1954 2,693,858 Osmun Nov. 9, 1954 2,788,118 Sturm Apr. 9, 1957 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2 919 Ol5 Decipmber 29 1959 George F. Turechek It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3 line 71,, for "second friction wheel" read second wheel --,7 line 72 for of wheel 72" read of friction wheel 72 Signed and sealed this 26th day of July 1960.

(SEAL) .ttest:

KARL H. AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSON .ttesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

